


I'm Not That Girl

by hannahetesta



Category: Charlie Bartlett (2007)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-29
Updated: 2015-06-29
Packaged: 2018-04-06 20:33:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4235670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hannahetesta/pseuds/hannahetesta
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Charlie and Susan are practically made for each other. That doesn't mean everyone has to be happy about it. A companion piece to "Can I Have a Ride?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'm Not That Girl

She hasn't spoken to him in weeks.

It's not a big deal. It's not like he ever noticed her, anyway. Not the way she wanted him to. There are plenty of guys in her class who are much cuter, with their own cars and normal personalities. If she tried, maybe she could get one to like her.

But she doesn't want them. She only has eyes for the boy who has a chauffeur and has a near-underground pharmacy in the boys' bathroom.

And he's taken.

It's not the end of the world, she reasons. Susan Gardner is beautiful, outgoing, and perfect for him. Never mind always being a bit envious of her charm, wishing to look like her, or be brave like she was. Now all she wanted was to shove Susan into a garbage bin every time she walked down the hallway with him, if only to shake his shoulders and say, "It's not fair!"

It didn't bother her too much, not right away. She figured it was just friendly flirtation, a few kisses here and there, nothing too serious. But she can never erase the memory of him standing in front of the projector screen in his blazer and boxers, his arms outstretched, the most genuine smile she's ever seen on his face, proclaiming, "My name is Charlie Bartlett, and I am no longer a virgin!"

Here she is, a week later, curled up in her usual corner of the library, furiously trying to erase any shred of affection she used to have for him. She blames Susan Gardner, she blames him, she blames herself - it's tricky to pinpoint who's at fault here. Reading can't get her mind off of her racing thoughts, so she just sits, staring at the words in front of her, not absorbing even one letter, trying not to picture the two of them together doing God knows what -

"Hey."

She looks up, and there he is, standing awkwardly with his hands in his pockets. She feels her face heat up, the tips of her ears warm. She says nothing, burying her nose further into her book.

"I haven't seen you in a while."

Her fingers tense, her eyes rushing to find a sentence to read, but the words are nonsense, and her ears pick up every word he's saying.

"You doing alright?"

She nods furiously, getting to her feet. She tries to walk past him, but he catches her arm.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

She's frozen there, unable to move from his grasp. She hates that he has this effect on her; her eyes burn with tears and she desperately wishes to pull away, to jump on her bike and ride home. She will not let him see her cry.

He frowns, his thumb brushing a stray tear away. He doesn't say anything else, just leads her outside to his limo. He asks the chauffeur to put her bike near the front, and she numbly climbs in the back seat, not bothering to wear a seat belt.

She lays there, staring ahead, as Charlie Bartlett's limo pulls away.

***

"You like strawberry, right?"

They're at one of the local parks, sitting on a bench in the shade. Charlie's returned with ice cream cones, the chauffeur standing a few feet away. Charlie hands her one of the cones and takes the seat beside her.

"Thanks." She hesitates to start eating, her mind still swimming with what she's going to tell him.

"You ready to talk?"

"Didn't we agree that I was the one who would listen to you?" she asks suddenly.

He shrugs. "Well, yeah, but it works the other way, since I've noticed you've been a little down."

She almost scoffs at that. Since when have you had time to notice that? You've been too busy with Susan.

Instead she says, "Oh?"

"Yeah. You've been whipping through a ton of library books. Almost every day in English you had a new book."

She finished books faster when she was upset. She's surprised he's picked that up, and that he actually knew that. She takes a few licks of her ice cream before she says, "It's a boy."

"Ah." He crosses his legs. "Haven't had someone come to me about that in a while."

"I didn't come to you. You forced me here."

"Same difference." He looks at her expectantly. "So it's about a boy. Is it anyone I'd know?"

"You know everyone," she says, hoping he won't notice her face turning red.

"That's true. And I'm assuming you're going to be a typical girl and not tell me who it is."

She nods. "Of course I am."

"So what's the problem with this boy of yours? Is he older, younger? On the football team? Too shy to notice you?"

She winces as the ice cream chills her teeth. "He…he likes someone else."

"That just means he can't appreciate the good qualities you have. He's blinded by whomever it is he's after. Is he still single?"

"No. They're dating."

"Oh." He blinks, licking from his chocolate cone. "Well, then. That's a bit more difficult."

She glances away for a moment, almost smirking at how ironic this entire thing is.

"Do you know him well?" he asks.

"I wouldn't say I know him extremely well. We're…friends, I suppose."

"Hmm. How long has he been dating?"

She shrugs. "Not too terribly long. I'd say a couple of weeks."

"Well…what I'd say is just give it time. Maybe it's just a fling, you don't really know. But make sure to give them space, as well."

She bites into her cone, unaware that he's studying her.

"Your boy…who's he dating?"

She considers how to word her response. "A very pretty girl who makes him happy. I guess that's why I'm so sad about it. I know he's better off with her, but…"

"…you can't help but still want him."

"Exactly."

"He…he wouldn't happen to be dating Susan Gardner, would he?"

She stops mid-bite, peering at him sideways. She says nothing.

"Were you there last weekend when…?" He trails off, and realization dawns on his face. "Oh, shit…"

She shakes her head. "It's not a big deal, Charlie, really. You don't have to feel bad."

"I just don't know what…"

"Don't pity me, okay? I can take care of myself." She finishes her cone and stands, ready to ask the chauffeur for her bike.

Charlie says her name, stopping her with his hand on her elbow. He spins her to look at him. "I…I'm sorry," he says. It's the first time since finding out his dad is in prison that she's seen him at a loss for words.

"You shouldn't apologize for me being selfish," she says.

"You shouldn't apologize for how you're feeling."

She looks at him - really looks at him - and she can tell he's conflicted. He's never been in this situation. She pulls him close, wrapping her arms around him, feeling his chin rest on top of her head.

"I really like Susan," he says eventually. "And you're right. She makes me happy. But…I don't want to lose you."

"You won't. I'll still be here."

"I just wish there was something I could do to help."

She pulls away, pecking him on the cheek. "Listening helps more than you'll ever know, Charlie Bartlett."


End file.
